Press Release

African-American Leadership Network Joined
by African Leaders in Call for Providing Africa With the Tools to Feed Its
People

African leaders are appealing to the United States government to ignore
the misguided political protests against genetically-modified foods so that
those afflicted with diseases and starvation on the African continent might
have hope for the future. Project 21 members are supportive of these efforts
to help blacks in Africa as well as educating all peoples of the world about
the benefits of advancements in food technology.

A 1997 report by the World Bank and the Consultative Group on International
Agriculture Research estimated that biotechnology would increase agricultural
production in the developing world by as much as 25%. In Africa, genetically-modified
rice that is rich in Vitamin A could play a significant role in the fight
to wipe out malnutrition among poor citizens. A modified banana is also
being developed that will provide an affordable inoculation against hepatitis.
Politically powerful opposition groups in Europe and North America, however,
are trying to stop further biotechnical research and development. Opposition
to biotech research was one of the causes of the radical protestors who
tried to shut down the World Trade Organization in Seattle last year.

"I consider this opposition as elitism in its cruelest form since
the poorest members of the population, blacks in particular, are going to
suffer because of it," wrote Project 21 member John Meredith in a recent
New Visions Commentary that was distributed by Project 21.

Hassan Adamu, the Nigerian Minister for Agricultural and Rural Development,
echoed Meredith's sentiments. In a Washington Post commentary published
on September 11, Adamu wrote, "Millions of Africans - far too many
of them children - are suffering from malnutrition and hunger. Agricultural
biotechnology offers a way to stop the suffering... To deny desperate, hungry
people the means to control their futures by presuming to know what is best
for them is not only paternalistic but morally wrong."

Additionally, on August 21, Kenyan President Daniel T. arap Moi wrote
to President Bill Clinton about providing Africa with new genetically-modified
foods. Moi wrote, "Today, the international community is on the verge
of the biotechnology revolution which Africa cannot afford to miss... Africa
risks a biotechnology gap if we fail to participate in this project just
in the same way that concern has been expressed about the digital gap in
information technology, without which deliberate intervention may result
in a further marginalization of our continent."